Rescues & Others

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANIMAL RESCUERS ON HOW TO VOLUNTEER !

It’s easy to sign up as a Pilots N Paws volunteer – register by CLICKING HERE after you complete the questionnaire, an automatic authorization will be sent to your email address. As soon as you reply to it, you will be registered to participate in the Pilots N Paws program.

Arranging Animal Transports

PNP is a volunteer group, there are no scheduled flights or fees. Instead, pilots and animal rescuers work together directly using the Pilots N Paws discussion board at https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/forum. Rescue volunteers can post requests on the “Ride Board: Animals Needing Transport” forum and search for pilot availability and space on the “Pilots Volunteering Services” and “Space on Planned Flights” forums.

To request a transport, please log in by clicking the “Login” button in the upper right hand corner. Scroll down and click on the link for “Ride Board: Animals Needing Transport.” Click on the “NEW TOPIC” button in the upper left hand corner of the screen and include the animal type and number (e.g., “5 puppies”) and sending and receiving cities/states/zip codes in the subject line. Your message will not be posted if you do not have the zip codes entered. We recommend using larger, well known cities close to your sending and receiving areas to make it easier for pilots who may not be familiar with the city/town where the animal is located. In the body of the message, please include additional information regarding the transport requirements, including the size and age of the animals, special needs, temperament, and health status, along with your contact information. Click “submit” and your message will be posted.  Volunteer pilots with availability will contact you directly, and together you will coordinate the transport.

Once your request is posted, you can go back to your post and at the top under the subject line, in red font, you will see “Map this Request.” When you click on this link, a Google map comes up with all the pilots listed along the specific route you requested. Volunteer rescue fosters will be listed as well though it is up to each sending and receiving rescue to to determine their capabilities and qualifications.

You can also check pilot availability by reviewing postings on the “Pilots Volunteering Services” and “Space on Planned Flights” forums. If you find a pilot or flight that you would like to work with, you can click on the pilots’ username and contact them through the board or by a private message at your discretion.

An additional tool that PNP offers is the volunteer map at https://pilotsnpaws.org/maps/maps_volunteers.php. You can search for pilots or other volunteers willing to help in your area by entering your zip code.

Commercial Transport Offers

Several people who work for the commercial air carriers have volunteered to help fly animals as part of their job. Please check under the “Other Volunteer Offers” or the “Pilots Volunteering” forums. There is a wonderful article written by a commercial pilot volunteer that is extremely informative on how to go about using commercial airlines. It is on our Pilots N Paws homepage.

Animal Transport Considerations

• PNP is run by volunteers and we all love these amazing volunteer pilots! Please try to accommodate their schedules and limitations whenever possible, as they are giving us a huge gift in helping us get our furry children where they need to go.

• The average distance a pilot can cover is around 250 to 300 nautical miles (roughly 350 statute miles). Pilots have varying plane sizes and capabilities, and they will let you know what they can and cannot do. If your request is a longer distance than a single pilot can handle, we have seen pilots work together with other pilots to arrange a relay of flights and/or arrange ground transportation.

• Keep in mind that pilots are limited by weather and other technical considerations, so they are the ones who must be free to choose the day, the time and the airports. You can suggest airports to them that are in your area, but ultimately the pilots will decide which airport they will use.

• It is always a good idea to have a backup plan in the event of a weather or mechanical issue that causes a transport to be delayed.

• We would love to hear about your successful transports – post your story on the “Success Stories” forum or send us details about the trip to [EMAIL] for an opportunity to have your story posted on our social media pages! Please note that any materials you submit to us, including photographs, will become the property of Pilots N Paws, and we also have the right to edit your submissions as necessary in our judgment.